Passive vascular exerciser



July 21, 1953 1.. v. IWAN 2,546,038,

PASSIVE VASCULAR EXERCISER Filed July 21, 1950 /7 /7 FlE J INVENTOR. Z////a/7 1/. Ava/7 gzww Patented July 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE PASSIVE VASCULAR EXERCISER Lillian Iwan, Brisbane, Calif.

Application July 21, 1950, Serial No. 175,209

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a therapeutic apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus/for passive vascular exercise. I

It has been found that beneficial therapeutic treatment of various portions of the human body may result from subjecting those portions to various degrees of negative atmospheric pressure produced by suction inside of cup-shaped applicators which are connected to a source of pulsing vacuum.

It is an object of this invention to provide a clevice of the character described by which pulsing negative pressure or vacuum may be applied to various portions of the body for the purpose of providing passive vascular exercise.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device which raises the skin temperature of the person to whom it is being applied at the portions where it is applied. 7 I It is another object of this invention to provide a device of this character which, as a result of its treatment, will produce temporary dilation of the capillaries and the small blood vessels thereby increasing the blood flow Within that area and improving the blood supply to and the nutrition of the tissues.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device which stimulates metabolism and leads to the absorption of fat by the production of heat and which hastens local absorption of adipose deposits in the area treated, leading to a reduction of subcutaneous fat.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a device incorporating the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a machine incorporating another embodiment of my invention; and

Figure 3 illustrates the use of my device and its efiect upon the skin.

As illustrated particularly in Figure 1, my device consists of a small pump In which is driven by electric motor ll. Upon operation of the pump l air is drawn into the same through orifice l2 and exhausted through orifice E3. The orifice i2 is provided with a nipple M to which there is secured a flexible tubular member l6 which may be formed of natural or synthetic rubber or other flexible tubular material to the remote end of which is secured one or more cup-shaped applicators l! which are adapted to be placed adjacent that portion of the body to 2 be treated. Operation of the member ll will more fully hereinafter be described.

The motor ll isadapted to be connected to a suitable source of electric current 2| through a manually operated switch 22 which is adapted to be actuated to cause the flow of current to the motor with the consequent operation of the device. Placed in the line to motor H I have provided an automatic breaker switch or interrupting device consisting generally of a'stationary contact 23 and a movable contact 24. Movable contact 24 is secured to and insulated from one end of a bimetallic strip 26 which is permanently secured to a mounting 21.

The specific device illustrated may generally be referred to as a series wound interrupter. Current is supplied to the coil 28 surrounding the bimetallic strip 26. One end of the coil 28 is connected to the contact 24 which, as previously pointed out, is insulated from the bimetallic strip 26. The bimetallic strip 25 is bent so that the contacts 23 and '24 are normally closed so that when the switch 22 is closed, current will initially flow through the resistance 28 to operate the motor I I. Since the current in this case must flow through the heating coil 28, it is obvious that this coil must be made with a relatively low resistance compared to the resistance of the motor ll. Upon heating of the bimetallic element 26, the contacts 23 and 24 are caused to move apart to interrupt the current to the motor I! and the current flowing through the coil 28. When the heating coil '28 has cooled sufliciently, the bimetallic strip 26 will operate again to close the contacts 23 and 24, thereby completing the circuit to the motor.

The rate at which the interrupting element operates may be varied by selecting the method of constructing the same. For example, by varying the thickness of the insulating material on the bimetallic strip 26, it is possible to control the rate of .heat transfer from the coil 28 to the strip 26. The cause for this action is that the thicker insulation keeps the sides of the bimetallic strip at different temperatures thus afiecting the degree of flexing.

I have found that a suitable circuit interrupter for my purpose is one which permits the flow of current to the motor for twenty seconds and then interrupts the flow for approximately twenty seconds.

Operation of the device may briefly be described as follows: The device is connected to a suitable source of electric current and the switch 22 is operated to close the circuit to the motor I I. As has previously been pointed out, the interrupter element is constructed in such a manner that the contacts 23 and 24 are normally closed. As the heating coil 28 is heated, heat is transferred to the bimetallic strip 26 causing the same to separate the contact 24 from the contact 23 thereby interrupting the flow of current to the motor I I, and also terminating the passage of current through the heating coil 28. When the heating coil 28 has cooled sufiiciently, the bimetallic strip 26 likewise cools with the result that the contacts 23 and 24 are again closed completing the circuit to the motor. Operation of the electric motor operates the pump ll thereby drawing air through orifice l2 and exhausting the same through orifice [3. Since the orifice I2 is connected to tubular member and the cup-like members I1, air is evacuated from these cups. When current is supplied to the motor l l by the closing of the contacts 23 and 24, substantially more vacuum is created within the cups I! than when the current to the motor H is interrupted by the separation of the contacts 23 and 24. The degree of negative pressure or vacuum will depend upon a number of considerations, the principal of which is the pump I0. I have discovered that best results are obtained when the vacuum .applied to the patient does not exceed twenty-six lbs. Vacuum in excess of that cannot be tolerated by most patients. Substantially less maximum vacuum is of little value. Therefore, I have selected a motor and pump which will create a maximum of twenty-six lbs. of vacuum which may be measured within the cups I! when power is supplied to motor I l and which, when the supply of current to the motor H is interrupted, will permit the vacuum to fall to either atmospheric pressure or no more than three lbs. vacuum. It will be appreciated that if the motor is de-energized for only a short period of time, the rotor will continue to rotate, with the result that the pump ID will continue to create a vacuum, although to a lesser extent during the deenergized period.

The cups H are placed on the skin with the result generally illustrated in Figure 3. Such action tends to draw blood into the capillaries as a result of the increased pressure difierential. I have found that this leads to a rise of skin temperature and produces as a result of the temporary dilation of the capillaries and the small blood vessels, an increased flow of blood. This improves the blood supply and the nutrition to the tissues. It also stimulates metabolism and leads to increased combustion by the production of heat and hastens local absorption of fatty deposits in the area treated, thus leading to a reduction of subcutaneous fat.

The pulsating cycle produces a gentle massage effect which draws blood drawn into the veins and capillaries immediately underlying the devices l7 upon the increased vacuum and permits it to continue to circulate through the circulatory system upon the decreased vacuum. Subsequent negative pulsations draw more blood into the area and thus the beneficial effects are repeated.

In the modification shown in Figure 2, the pump l0 and the motor H are connected substantially the same as illustrated in Figure l. The motor II is adapted to be connected to a source of current and, when the circuit to the motor has been closed by actuation of the switch 22, the flow of current to the motor is uninterrupted, with the result that the pump [0 is continually drawing vacuum within the tubular member 16 and continually exhausting to the atmosphere through the orifice l3. However, the tubular member [5 is provided with a valve 3| substantially as shown. The member 32 is adapted to open or close the orifice 33 in the valve body to either permit or prevent communication between the members l1 and the pump. The valve member 32 is adapted to be actuated by a solenoid 34 which is connected to a source of electric current through a transformer 35 and a current interrupting device 35 which operates in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with Figure 1. The circuit to the transformer 35 is provided with an interrupter 35 which consists of a bimetallic strip 31, a coil 38, and contacts 39 and 4|. The bimetallic strip 31 normally closes the contacts 39 and 4| and completes the circuit to the transformer 35. However, the passage of current through the coil 38 causes the same to heat, transferring heat to the bimetallic strip 3! and causing the same to open the contacts 39 and 4!. This likewise results in cessation of flow of current through the coil 38 with the result that it, together with the bimetallic strip 31, cools and ultimately causes the contacts 39 and 4| again to engage. The tubular member I6 is likewise provided with a valve 42 which communicates with the atmosphere whereby the vacuum within the tubular member l6 and the cups I! may be totally eliminated. The valve 42 may be manually operated or may be actuated in any suitable manner.

It will be noted that the device is provided with a fan 43 which is driven by the motor II and which serves to cool the motor.

The interrupter 36 has been shown and described as being of a particular type. However, it must be borne in mind that it may be of a diiierent type. For example, it may be constructed in such a manner that the contacts 39 and M are normally apart and will be closed only when the bimetallic strip 3'! is heated by the coil. When the bimetallic strip has been heated and the contacts 39 and 4| closed to engage, the load is taken from the coil 38, causing the bimetallic strip 3l' to spring to open position.

I claim:

In a passive vascular exerciser, utilizin reduced pressures, capable of producing temporary dilation of the capillaries and the small blood vessels under the skin, thereby increasing the blood flow and improving nutrition of the tissues, and stimulating metabolism leading to the absorption of fat, said exerciser comprising a plurality of bell-shaped cups adapted to engage portions of the human body, said bell-shaped cups being connected by flexible tubular members to a pulsing vacuum source comprising a pump, and an electric motor, said electric motor being energized by an electric current through a manually operated switch and a series wound interrupter, said interrupter comprising an insulated bimetallic strip with one fixed contact and one movable contact, said bimetallic strip surrounded by a resistance coil through which the current to the motor must pass, said current heating said resistance coil thereby causing the bimetallic strip to expand and forcing said movable contact from a normally closed position into an open position, said movement thereby opening the circuit to the electric motor until the said bimetallic strip cools and again returns movable contact to normally closed position, thereby causing variable sub-atmospheric pressure changes Number to be transmitted to said bell-shaped cups. 2,138,527

LILLIAN V. IWAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 Number 4. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 705:151

1,364,500 Hopkins Jan. 4, 1921 Name Date Newman Nov. 29, 3.938

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland. Dec. 16, 1946 Great Britain Jan. 11, 1949 France Mar. 3, 1931 

